Pneumatic cow-milker.



J. RIPCZINSKE. PNEUMATIC COW MILKEH. APPLICATION FILED NOV.15,1910.

1,008,368. Patentemlmov. 14-, 1911.

2 SHEETS-88F 1.

J. RIPUZINSKE. PNEUMATIC 00w MILKBR. APPLIQATION TILED NOV.15,1910.

Patented Nov. 14,1911.

2 SHEBTS-SHBET Z.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH RIPCZINSKE, 0F WAUSAU, WISCONSIN PNEUMATIC COW-MILKER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn Rirczinsnn, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Wausau, in the county of Marathon and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic CowMilkers; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention refers to cow-milkers of the pneumatic type wherein theteats of a. cow are incalsed in membraneous jackets, which membranes areunder air control, said in v'ention consisting in certain peculiaritiesof construction and combination of parts as set forth hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

The primary object of my invention is. to provide a simple, durable,sensitive and effective membrane adaptedto respond positively topneumatic control with the expenditure of a minimum air pressure. Thearrangement and construction of the membranes are such that theelasticity of the material from which they are constructed not dependedupon in the performance of its function, while said membranes at thesame time are capable of expanding to initially grip the teat at itsbase followed by gradual expansion from said base to dispel milkcontained in the teat in a manner similar to that performed by hand,this action being in some instances due to the. fact that the membranesare formed so as to provide separate air chambers.

Another object is to provide an automatically controlled valve-mechanismthat is interposed between and connected to an air supply pump and theseveral chambers of the membranes constituting a milking set, wherebyair is successively admitted and exhausted from said chambers insynchrony with the pump action.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view of ashell having a membraneous lining embodying the features of myinvention, the illustration being upon a magnified scale to more clearlyillustrate structural features; Fig. '2, a plan View of the same withparts broken away and parts in section to more clearly illustratecertain details of construction; Fig. 3, a detail sectional plan View ofthe beaded edge of one of the membranes, the section;

being indicated upon lines 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a detail section inelevation of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 15, 1910.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

Serial No. 592,581.

same as indicated by line t-4 of Fig. 1,

and Fig. 5, a. diagrammatic sectional View.

of the apparatus as a whole showing the manner of connecting a pa r ofthe membranes, valve-mechanlsm and pump.

Referring by characters to the drawin gs,-

1 indicates a sectional cylindrical shell, the upper ring portion 2 ofwhich is connec3ed to the lower portion 3 by a coupling ring,' 4 thatinthreaded connection with adjac ant ends of the two shell sections, thesaid slell being in separate sections for the purpose of convenience inassembling the device.

The ends of the lower shell section are p ['0-' vided with annularflanges 5, 6, I'GSPQCi'lW ly, over which are fitted beaded terminals 78, of a circular membrane A, whlch 1s prei erably composed of moldedrubber. Thus said point it merges into a straight membrane.

wall 1.4 that extends downwardly to he lower beaded terminal 8, the saidwall bci ng gradually increased in thickness from its upper to its lowerend.- Thus when his membrane is inserted in its shell section anairtightv chamber 15 is formed. between the membrane wall and. adjacentwall of 'said shell. into which chamber an air inlet nip ile 16communicates, the nipple being acla' 'r'ed to receive a pipe that isconnected to ,a s1 itable source of air-supply to be hereinafterdescribed.

The ring section 2 of the shell is provided with terminal flanges 17,over which are fitted beaded terminals 18. 19,019 a second membrane B.capped by washer-s9 that are similar to These beaded terminals are thosedescribed in connection with the lower membrane A. The upper beadedterminals of the membrane B and its washer are held in place by aspanner ll. that is in threaded connection with the shell-ring. 2. ,"Iheupper membrane is provided with an ilar folds 20 and 20 that extendtoward ch other from the beaded terminals 18, 1.9, the

outer ends of the folds being recurved as at 21, frr'riiavli-ieh poiiitsth inerg'ei to a straight band or Wall 22, which wall is circular incross-section. conformingito the corresponding wall 14 'ot the lowermem- 5 brane, the lower membrane constituting a continuation thereofwith its walls Flared slightly in an outwardly direction. as showi'i,from the upper men'ibrane B. The upper membrane also, in connectionwiththe inner Wall of the ring, forms an air chamber that is tapped by athreaded nipple 23 for the purpose of attaching an air pipe thereto.

- After the Incmln-aues have been placed within the separate shellsections they are connected by the coupling ring 4, which ring drawssaid sections together, whereby the washers 9 and 9 of therespectivemeuibranes are abutted and thus a tight oiut is formed atthese points by the flanges and 2e 17 which in'ipi-ngeagainst'the beadedtermi' nals of theirrespectivcmen1branes,'as shown. The-several sets ofWashers fitted over the beadsof the n'iembrane are provided for thepurpose ot preventing twist and wear of the same when the couplingringainl'spanner rings-".11, 11 are adjusted. Further provision forholding the beads of the membrane-s in place is by two or more crosswebs '24- that connect the outer and inner edges of the beads, thesecross webs, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, being adapted to fit withinke'r'fs 25 thatv are formed in the several flanges. v i

By utilizing a shell provided with a membraneo'us lining of thecharacter described it is understood that, should air pressure headmitted to the chamber of the upper membrane, the same will expandandcause the wall 22 of' said membrane to securely grip 40 the base ofa'teatand after the teatis so gripped, if air under pressure is admittedto the lower membrane. its chamber 15 will expand-and first cause anexpansion of the upper end of said membrane. which expans'ion is similarinproportions to that of the upper membrane. "Owing to the variation inthickness of the Wall. 14 of the lower niembra-ne, the resistance to theair pressure is gradually increased from top to bottom and hence thisresistance will causea gradual expansion oftlie inembra'ne'iin the same.direction, that results through yield r m; fold, whereby all milk that.is within the teatwill be expelled. Thus the upper niembranc compressesthe teat at the base and prevents bz'ick llo v of thc milk. while thelowerinemin'aue gradually oxpcls it. start-. inp from the-base to theend of said teat. llhequick response to air prrssurchy the in'eiil'u'a'lies is due toll-he folds that: permit the upper end of. the lmur membrane and the entire l 1 )cr m'ci'u n'auc in contract about theteat. thout Hit-it'll oi' the mat rial.

E Thus aid membranes pt iaaiik ugwn. the priu= r air pressure isrelieved""wi t in the charm hers formed by the membranes that the samewillcontract to their normal position, assuming their original moldedshape, as shown. in Fig. 1, means for producing the 7. contraction andexpansion in connection with a pump being hereinafter described.

Referring to the diagram view, Fig". 5, a pair of the membraneous shellsC, I), are shown adjusted to the .teats of a cow, it being umlerstoodthat the pair shown are single members of two sets, although, in someinstances, it;- is apparent that the devices may be operated singlyit'desired. In; the, diagram, 26 represents a cup provided 30 wi-th a cap27 in screw-threaded connection tl-ierewith. wherebya closed chamber,is. formed. The cap carries a pair ofcyliaders 28,, 211 respectively.that have. shouldered open bottoms terminating adjacent to the bottom ofthe cup, the upper ads of the eylinders being closed andarraugeijl toreceive pipes 30, iii. which pipes are connectedto the upper and lowerends of a pump cylinder 32, the cylinder beingprovided with a recipro-90. native piston 33. The upper endof each eylinder shouldered as at 34and betweenthis shoulder and lower shouldered end thereof is fitted afloating piston having an upper head 34 and a lower head 34" in. stemconnection, \\'l1ereb ;"-the samepare spaced'a-part. Just below theshoulder- 34 of cylinderQS and ronnmmicating therewith, is an airport35, there-being'otl'ier air-ports 36 and 37 conun'unieating with thecylinder and spaced from the first airport at a predetermined distance.The air ports 35 and 3G-aread apt= ed to admit air to the upper andlowerchaiiihers of the shell membrane D, being coni nected thereto bypipes 35 and 36, which pipes are in threaded engagement with the nipples23 and 16 respectively. The port 3- extends through the cup cap and isopen to atmosphere, said portcomprising an air ex haust, which exhaustoperates in conjunc-- 1 tion with a pair of similar exhaust port-s38thateon'nuunicate with the cylinder and, are horizontally alined withthe port, 37.- One of the ports is connectedby a-b'ra'nc pipef-RS topipe 3. and the other exhaust port 3 8 is connected to pipe 36 byabraneh f pipe 38". 'Ihecompanion cylinder 29 is" t'luplicate of the clinder just'describcd; iug provided with air discharge ports 35'" and36', and an exhaust port 37 that-"cor municales with a pair of exhaustports 38. which ports correspond to the pairo't haust ports 38. in theopposite cylin'd e 'lhe ports 35* and -36" are conu'crted' Y Pih lif Illto the nipples Q -i'and'lt'i ofthe me; ln'aucous -shell. (l. the saidpipes beingeael eonnri'ted to uu-cxhaustfpdrt P c by branc ipes 23!)"and 39} The (-up 215 is partially filled with 'oil 011" ciplotahehoiv's. It. is obvious that when other fluid to a level abovetheope-nends forced upward by the coi'istant air pressure until their.heads 34 are checked by the shoulders 34. the air between the oil andhead 34:" serving as an elastic cushion for accomplishing this result.'hen the valve mechanism and pump illustrated in the dia. gram are inthe positions shown, the pump piston ap ni'oaching the end of its downward stroke. The downward stroke of the pump piston forces air into theupper end of the cylinder 29, causing the piston to move downward. Thefirst movement of the piston. cuts oil conunlmication between theexhaust ports Eli" and the pair of ports 38. l.l'u..--up 'ier end ofsaid piston will: next pose port 35. .Thus compressed air f j'on'i thepump will be admitted through pipe 39 to the chamber of the uppermembrane of that shell lLUWl'llt'Ell it is connected. This causes anexpansion of the said l'nei'nln'ane, resulting in a contraction of itsinner wall 22 about the base of the teat, whereby milk is cut oil atthis point. The piston continues its movement slowly downward due to theresistance of the cushion of air thereunder and just as itseated againstthe shouldered open end of said cylinder, it exposes the air dischargeport 36 and thus places the same in communioation with the pump,

7 whereby air is admitted to the lower membrane tl'n'oagl'i pipe 39*,causing the sameto contract about the l'JOlIlOlTl portion of the teatand expel the milk therein by gradual contriurtion of-the bottom of theupper mombrane to thc end of theteat. Upon the reverse stroke of thepump piston, air will be adn'iitted to the upper end of the cylinder 28,which will operate the floating pistoncontained therein in the samemanner, and simultaneous with this upward n'iovement of the piston, itssuctionstroke will relieve the pressure in the upper end of cyliiuler29,

wlurreby its piston will immediately close against the upper shoulder 34thereof, due to the action of air under pressure within'the bottom ofthe cylinder. Thus communica. tion between the exl'laust port 37" andpair of exhaust ports 38 will be established through the cvlinder,whereby communication is bad to the atmosphere and both membranes willbe relieved of comprcsst-ed air thereby causing the same to assume theirnormal positions,

From the foregoing described operation it will be seen that the alterate strokes of the pump piston will thus cause a corresponding,alternate movement of the floating pistonu, whereby' milk will beexpelled successive y from the teats and if two pairs of shells areused, which comprise a set, each pair would be connected to the pairs ofair plpes 35 36* and 39,39, respectively, and as the floating pistonthat controls each set of ports H'IOVGS slowly downward, a milkingoperation is effected. Ifiurthermore, it should b:

umlerstood, that, While rubber is the preterable material for use inmanufacturing;

the memb'anes, that other materialoan b substituted therefor withoutdeparting from a he spirit of my invention and, in some instancenon-flexible material may be utilized due Iothe action of the folds,which permh contraction without stretch, particular at tention beingcalled to the fact that thr upper folded end of the lower membranco Aprovides sufficient surplus material that due to its in't'oldingactiomwill permit contraction of the inner wall 14 first at the to; andthereafter said wall is capable of con tracting throughout its entirelength without appreciable yield or stretch of the material. Thisaccomplished by give of the fold, the slack of which maybe taken up'by awave, in a downwardly r lire ction throughout the entire length of thewall, whereby compensation is obtained. Thus the air pressure wouldfirst contract the upper por' tion of this l'neinbrane and thereafterdraw upon the surplus material in the fold for the contraction of thelower portion, which would .tend to straighten out this fold or shortenthe same until sullicient fullness had been. distributed to the lowerend, in order to permit contraction and this membrane may,

in some cases, be used as a. sulostitutet for the two membranespreviously dcscriljnrd. lVhen so used the upper end of the mom liu'anewill exert. a n'essure upon the teat base first and thereafterprogressively contract the teat. the upper portion of the membraneserving to check back How of milk in the glands. It is also within thescope of lll \"ll'lV(-5Ill.l0!l to provide a series of horizontally dis'iosed membranes having a. double fold, each membrane of the seriesbeing provided with a vaIve-mechanism similar to that described andillustrated in the diagram wherebya succession of grimiing movoim-ntsthereof obtained from the base 'mel'i'ibraue downward.

I claim: 1. A cow-mllker comprising a shell, and. a

one-piece membraneous lining surrounding- .coW-milker comprising atubular one-piece membrane having an inner wall terminating withoutwardly folded ends, a.

shellzdisposed about the folds, and means for gether. I

5. Afcownnilker comprising a tubular membrane be 'ing separate innerWall sectlUllfSut-llili are merged into a plurality of t'olds,;and ashell disposed about the folds to fozmrscparatc air chambers.

(LA, cow millrer comprising band-lil e tubular membrane having an innerwall the terminals of which are merged into outer folds,;a secondtubular membrane having its end adjacent to the first membrane mergedinto an outer fold, a shell disposed about the membranes, and means forsecuring the ends of said membranes to the shell, whereby separateair-chambers are formed.

7. rhcownnilker comprising a band-like tubular membrane having an innerwall that is merged into oppositely disposed folds terinitiating withopen ends, a. second meml'irane located below the first named membranehaving an inner wall increasing in thickness progressively from saidnamed. membrane, the thin upper wall end of the last named membranebeing merged into afold, a shell disposed about said. membranesand meansfor securing the ends of the membranes to the shell whereby air rhambersare formed.

8. A,cowanilkercomprising an open end shell section, a membraneouslining secured to the open ends of the shell section, the liningbeingprovided at one end with an outer fold, a second open end shell sectionsecured to the first named shell'section, a membraneous lining securedto the last named section, the lining being of comparatively slightwidth relative to the first named lining, the terminals of the liningbeing merged into out-er folds.

95111 a pnuematic cow-milker apparatus having a shell provided withamembraneous lining; the combination of a closed cup, means formaintaining a constant iluid pres sure in said cup, a cylinder locatedwithin the cup, the cylinder being provided with an open endcommunicating with the cup, a floating piston mounted within thecylinder, a pump in communication with the top of the cylinder arranged.to exert pressure upon said piston in opposition to the fluid pressurewithin the cup, and an air discharge and exhaust port in communicationwith the cylinder and shell under control of said piston.

10. In a pneumatic cow-milker apparatus having pairs of shells providedwith upper and lower membraneous lining sections forming separate airchambers with relation to the shells; the combination of a pair ofcylinders, a floating piston mounted in each cylinder, constant pressuremeans in'oppo sition to the pistons in one direction, a donblc-z ctingpump having a separate communication with each cylinder arranged toexert pressure upon said pistons alternately in opposition. to theconstant pressure means,

a pair of air distributing ports communicao ing with each c 'linder andseparate chambers of one of' the shells and air exhaust ports in eachcylinder in communication with each pair of shell chambers, all of whichcylinder air ports are under control. of their respective pistons.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVis consin in thepresence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH RIPCZINSKE.

\Yitnesses Gno. W. YOUNG, (JAsANAnE YOUNG.

